Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-09-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29th ISS


WASHINGTON, Aug. 29th, 1887.
1t seems to me that the public land
policy of this Administration COM
mands it to the favor of the people far
more than any other measure il has
adopted. There has been no cessation
in the great work of overhauling the
swindling manipulations of hungry
landsharks and the powerful railway
corporations have also been made to
disgorge much of a free peoples birth
right, ruthlessly given away by Repub-
lican Administrations. Under the
swamp-land law, passed by Congress in
1850, authority was granted certain
States, with public lands in their bOr-
Aders, to drain and reclaim all swamp
tsQd overflowed lands, preparing them
fCn, purposes of agriculture; later
acssS were passed granting to the
Statkf f,with such lands and Indemnity
of S1.zshper acre for each acre of swamp
land aby the Government after the
act of lSeNand up to the date of the in
demnity Sst of 1855. Then in 1857,
Congress, fesed law securing to each
State the vttles to such tracts as were
oondemnedt0y the several States rs
swamp land Now, so far as can be
ascertained, 1gDuisina is the only State
that has made any attempt to reclaim
these lands, and that was soon aban-
doned. You can at thought see what a
vast field of fraud was invitingly opened
which was taken by thousands of un-
scrupulous persons who falsely swore
away millions ofacres of the fertile pub
vta nYN6e thn TTw1tk knA
States land agents often making "cOm-
bine" against the Government in their
nefarius work. AS the swamp law was
passed thirty-seven years ago, If the
law had been carried out in good faith,
the States would have long since re-
claimed all such lands; but, still,
''swamp land claims" are being almost
daily presented. The malicious attack
made upon Commissioner Sparks and
solely due to his efforts to check and
correct this gigantic swindle-for which
he is entitled to the highest praise.
Civil Service reform seems to be MAX
ing pretty fair progress under the new
regulations requiring clerks in Office to
be examined. A few days ago the
Civil Service Commission received from
the Secretary of Navy request for the
certificates of 2l2 eligibles-all males
from which SO selections may be made
to fill existing vacancies. To supply
this, the largest requisition ever made
on the Commission, at least four certi-
ficates were made for each of the States
and Territories. The Civil Service Com
missioners are divided in opinion in re-
gard to the power of dismissal Mr..
Edgerton, holding that the appointing
authority has absolute power of dis
missal, while his colleagues contend
that such power is restricted by the
Civil Service Law.
The Interstate Commerce Law seems
to be steadily growing in popular favor.
Senator Butler Of South Carolina who
opposed the measure, has been won by
his recent experience in railroad col
lision, and in consequence, he proposes
to introduce amendments to the law,
regulating the speed of trains and limit
ing the time of railroad employees to
twelve hours consecutive service in q
day. .
National Bank repositories now hold
a larger sum of Government funds than
ever before-the amount being $50, ,257,-
2O4.
Over seven million and a half trade
dollars have been redeemed to date,
more than half of which have been re-
coined into dimes.
The testimony in seven contested
election cases has been received and
printed by the clerk of the House of
Representatives., which, l believe, is a
much smaller number than usual.
At the last Cabinet meeting, for the
first time during this Administration,
all the members were absent, except
Secretary Bayard-the other portfolios
being represented by Assistant Secre-
taries.
AS it is regarded as practically set
tied that President Cleveland will be
renominated, some interest is being
manifested in the nomination for Vice
President, and both Postmaster-Gener-
al Villas and Commissioner Black have
been often mentioned. Many long
headed Democratic statesmen and
politicians are understood to favor a
soldier for second place, and it is proba-
BILE the President is of the same opin-
ion.
Although the Information Medical
Congress does not meet till next week,
delegates have already begun to arrive,
and the programme has been formula
ted. Simply the titles of the disquisi-
tions to be read and the names of the
authors make column of nonpareil in
an evening newspaper. Among the d.
versions of these learned scientists will
be excursions to Mt. Vernon and
Niagara Falls. re.'.
A pair of good Republicans, one a
claim Attorney and the other Gov
ernment clerk-were arrested few
days since for stealing public records
from the Pension Office. For such a
crime the punishment is five years in
the penitentiary.
Ladies will find relief from their Co.'S
tiveness, swimming in the head, collie,
sour stomach, headache, kidney trou-
bles, etc, by taking dose of Simmons